Cavs general manager Koby Altman stood before a packed media room on Friday morning to address the season that was, as well as his plans for the team going forward.
Prior to the start of this campaign, Altman and the Cavs proclaimed that they would try to compete for a spot in the playoffs, despite the fact that LeBron James had already packed up and moved to Hollywood. Those plans never came to fruition for Cleveland, who finished with a 19-63 overall record. As a result, Altman is using caution with the “P word” for next season.
“[We’re] bringing back some veterans that are super-competitive and know how to win games,” Altman said during Friday’s press conference. “We’re going to compete next year, [though] I don’t know what that looks like. I don’t want to put a timetable on it. I don’t want to use the P word like you guys killed me for before.
“I do know that we’re going to have the kind of grit and grind and work ethic that guys are going to want to be a part of,” Altman added. “We’ll see where it all shakes out. I think we have to be committed to the every day growth, and not so much the win-loss outcome.”
The Cavs struggled to find a rhythm this season, but there were several bright spots along the way. Collin Sexton, who Cleveland selected with the No. 8 pick in last year’s draft, showed signs of true development after a shaky start. Larry Nance Jr. showed that he can be a dominant force for the team on both ends of the floor. And while Kevin Love was out due to injury, Ante Zizic proved that he can be a serviceable big for the team.
Other players stepped into niche roles for the Cavs in this campaign, but it’s hard to gauge which of them will be on the roster next season. Regardless of who remains onboard, it’s nice to hear Altman keeping a level head about the team’s future.